Message from Sheriff Jeremy Briese on California Senate Bill 54
February 13, 2025 – Mariposa County Sheriff's Office officials release message from Sheriff of Mariposa County, Jeremy Briese on (2017) California Senate Bill 54 (SB54).
As the elected Sheriff of Mariposa County, my primary commitment to our citizens and visitors is the safety and well-being of our community. Upholding the first pillar of that commitment, which I made on my very first day of office, is ensuring a safe environment for everyone who calls Mariposa County home, as well as those who visit our beautiful county.
However, state legislation, specifically California Senate Bill 54 (SB54), undermines my commitment to the community, as it limits cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. SB54, also known as the California Values Act, restricts local law enforcement from sharing information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), preventing federal agents from entering local jails, and severely impeding my ability to protect the public from individuals who are known to be wanted and a danger to our community. This law requires that my office and I knowingly release criminals back into our community. Regardless of your political views, SB54 is WRONG and needs to be changed. This is not about immigration…this is about being forced to knowingly release wanted criminals back into our communities. While these cases don’t happen every day in Mariposa County, they do occur. As an example of navigating this flawed legislation, our office recently arrested a registered sex offender, known to be wanted by immigration authorities, however, we were forced to release the individual back into our community.
A common-sense approach to safety should allow communication and coordination between local and federal law enforcement agencies, when individuals who have been arrested for criminal activities and are known to be wanted for other crimes. For example, if a criminal is wanted in Arizona, we call Arizona Law Enforcement and ask them if they would like to come pick them up. Under the current law, I am forced to release individuals back into our community without any ability to notify ICE. In my opinion this leaves the people of Mariposa County vulnerable to being victimized when this could have been easily prevented with a simple phone call.
In 2018, the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors passed a resolution taking a stance in opposition of SB54, further declaring that Mariposa County does not constitute a sanctuary jurisdiction. This resolution reflects our values as a community, prioritizing the safety and security of all people.
The current situation with SB54 is troubling to me personally and keeps me awake at night. ICE is the only law enforcement agency not allowed to enter our local jails due to this legislation. This places an undue burden on the Mariposa County Sheriff’s Office staff by preventing the coordination necessary to keep our community safe. It essentially goes against the oath we take as Sheriff’s Deputies to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that we will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of California”
Allowing ICE to make contact with individuals within our jail system is far safer and more controlled than conducting ICE raids in our communities or attempting to track down known criminals after they have been released back into the public. When these individuals are inside the jail, they are in a secure environment, where their identities can be verified, and appropriate action can be taken. This eliminates the potential for dangerous confrontations in public spaces, where innocent bystanders could be harmed or caught in the crossfire. Public safety is always my priority, and we must ensure that individuals who are a risk to the community are dealt with in the safest manner possible, without putting our citizens at unnecessary risk. We have these systems in place for all other known and wanted individuals, why are we being limited by this flawed law?
Our community deserves to feel secure, and it is imperative that we take every necessary step to ensure public safety. I am calling for a reexamination of SB54 to allow for common-sense communication between local law enforcement and ICE to help protect the citizens of Mariposa County and all who visit. I urge you to contact your state representatives to express your concerns and advocate for changes to this law.
Together, we can ensure the safety of our communities by making sure law enforcement has the tools and resources necessary to protect all citizens effectively.
Enough is Enough,
Jeremy Briese, Sheriff of Mariposa County
Source: Mariposa County Sheriff's Office
